Social media is a powerful organizing and messaging tool. It is part of the reason why Presidents Obama and Trump won. The difference between Facebook and Twitter is Facebook is geared towards connecting with people you already know, whereas Twitter allows you to reach anyone in the world. In order to reach more people, stay competitive, and have a quick messaging platform, we must expand to Twitter.
Twitter Fast Facts:
At any given time, 19 top items are trending (most people talking about it) on Twitter
Relies on what people tweet about
Allows you to trend something if a lot of people talk about something at the same time
Conducts queries using a search bar
Recruits new people to grow your influence
Hashtags are links that connect everyone who tweets about a specific hashtag together
Hashtags:
Do not be confused by hashtags, as anything can be a hashtag. On social media, we use the hashtag #ACTforAmerica. A hashtag is basically a link that connects every user together who tweets about that same hashtag.
Let us say that we tweet out, “I am a member of #ACTforAmerica.” If we then click on the hashtag #ACTforAmerica, we will be able to see every tweet that has even been written, which includes #ACTforAmerica. It is a tool to connect with like-minded people or to discuss a trending topic.
Twitter Trends:
As mentioned above, there are 19 topics trending on Twitter at any given moment. Here is why it is important to watch what is trending:
Let us say that #TheOscars is trending on Twitter. This means that a lot of people are tweeting about #TheOscars all at one time. It does not matter if you like the Oscars or even watch it. The fact of the matter is that this is a trending subject, so you have the ability to reach more people if you use the hashtag #TheOscars in your tweet.
For example, “Did you know that 500,000 girls are at risk for or have undergone female genital mutilation in the United States? #TheOscars” It does not matter that the subject of female genital mutilation has nothing to do with the Oscars. It is about being strategic, knowing what is trending, and getting your message out to a large number of people at once. Some people may even reply to your tweet, criticising you for not staying relevant to the trending topic, but that is proof that people are viewing your message.
Growing Your Influence:
In the top right hand corner of your computer or mobile device, you will see a magnifying glass or a search bar. This is your query search, just like for Google or other Internet platforms.
Let us say you live in Duval County, Florida. Type “Duval County” into the search bar. On the next page that pops up, click on “latest.” You will then see the most recent tweets that users have posted, which include the words “Duval County.” Click on the users in the list and see, from their previous tweets, if they are like-minded. Once you have identified people who might support our cause, you can either message them via the envelope on their Twitter page or tweet to them.
For example, “Hey @ACTforAmerica, my name is Scott and I live in Duval County. It looks like we support a lot of similar issues, like Back the Blue. Let’s follow each other and see who else we can find in Duval County.”
Play around with different word combinations to find like-minded people in your area. This is a great way to grow your influence and does not require a large time commitment.
Credibility:
In order for you to be taken seriously on Twitter, especially in the age of bots (another word for robots or fake users), you need to include a profile picture and other information. As you can see in our Twitter profile, we include our logo, website, and a brief explanation of whom we are.
The great thing about social media is you can still remain anonymous. You do not have to include your real name, location, or even use your own pictures. With that being said, you still need to include a profile picture and explanation (ex. American, Support our cops & troops, Patriot, Loves my country) in order to be taken seriously.
Social media is a powerful organizing and messaging tool. It is part of the reason why Presidents Obama and Trump won. The difference between Facebook and Twitter is Facebook is geared towards connecting with people you already know, whereas Twitter allows you to reach anyone in the world. In order to reach more people, stay competitive, and have a quick messaging platform, we must expand to Twitter.
Twitter Fast Facts:
At any given time, 19 top items are trending (most people talking about it) on Twitter
Relies on what people tweet about
Allows you to trend something if a lot of people talk about something at the same time
Conducts queries using a search bar
Recruits new people to grow your influence
Hashtags are links that connect everyone who tweets about a specific hashtag together
Hashtags:
Do not be confused by hashtags, as anything can be a hashtag. On social media, we use the hashtag #ACTforAmerica. A hashtag is basically a link that connects every user together who tweets about that same hashtag.
Let us say that we tweet out, “I am a member of #ACTforAmerica.” If we then click on the hashtag #ACTforAmerica, we will be able to see every tweet that has even been written, which includes #ACTforAmerica. It is a tool to connect with like-minded people or to discuss a trending topic.
Twitter Trends:
As mentioned above, there are 19 topics trending on Twitter at any given moment. Here is why it is important to watch what is trending:
Let us say that #TheOscars is trending on Twitter. This means that a lot of people are tweeting about #TheOscars all at one time. It does not matter if you like the Oscars or even watch it. The fact of the matter is that this is a trending subject, so you have the ability to reach more people if you use the hashtag #TheOscars in your tweet.
For example, “Did you know that 500,000 girls are at risk for or have undergone female genital mutilation in the United States? #TheOscars” It does not matter that the subject of female genital mutilation has nothing to do with the Oscars. It is about being strategic, knowing what is trending, and getting your message out to a large number of people at once. Some people may even reply to your tweet, criticising you for not staying relevant to the trending topic, but that is proof that people are viewing your message.
Growing Your Influence:
In the top right hand corner of your computer or mobile device, you will see a magnifying glass or a search bar. This is your query search, just like for Google or other Internet platforms.
Let us say you live in Duval County, Florida. Type “Duval County” into the search bar. On the next page that pops up, click on “latest.” You will then see the most recent tweets that users have posted, which include the words “Duval County.” Click on the users in the list and see, from their previous tweets, if they are like-minded. Once you have identified people who might support our cause, you can either message them via the envelope on their Twitter page or tweet to them.
For example, “Hey @ACTforAmerica, my name is Scott and I live in Duval County. It looks like we support a lot of similar issues, like Back the Blue. Let’s follow each other and see who else we can find in Duval County.”
Play around with different word combinations to find like-minded people in your area. This is a great way to grow your influence and does not require a large time commitment.
Credibility:
In order for you to be taken seriously on Twitter, especially in the age of bots (another word for robots or fake users), you need to include a profile picture and other information. As you can see in our Twitter profile, we include our logo, website, and a brief explanation of whom we are.
The great thing about social media is you can still remain anonymous. You do not have to include your real name, location, or even use your own pictures. With that being said, you still need to include a profile picture and explanation (ex. American, Support our cops & troops, Patriot, Loves my country) in order to be taken seriously.